Full text
| |
| Author(s): |
Jonathan Mota da Silva
Total Authors: 1
|
| Document type: | Doctoral Thesis |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto Astronômico e Geofísico (IAG/SBD) |
| Defense date: | 2014-02-20 |
| Examining board members: |
Humberto Ribeiro da Rocha;
Edmilson Dias de Freitas;
Chang Hung Kiang;
Eduardo Mario Mendiondo;
Adriano Rolim da Paz
|
| Advisor: | Humberto Ribeiro da Rocha |
| Abstract | |
Aimed at reconciling human pressures for the development of socio-economic activities with the conservation of ecosystems, ecosystem services associated with water resources are benefits and quantitative indices that can be taken as parameters in decision-making for land use. In Brazil, its Forest Code prescribes the Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs) along rivers banks, steep areas and areas of high slope as sectors where these services will be potentially significant. The effects of the size of riparian vegetation may vary depending on geomorphological characteristics and extension of the basin. There are few studies indicators of the safe range of riparian vegetation necessary to minimize the effects of peak flows and provide water availability in relevant river basins for water supply, like Piracicaba river basin, and in small scale watershed, which also focuses on the family farms and are also effective watershed areas of large reservoirs. The objective of this thesis was to evaluate the impact of the riparian and steep PPAs areas in the hydrological regime of the Piracicaba river basin (~ 12000 km²) and its sub-basin, Ribeirão das Posses (12 km²), in Extrema, MG, by means of numerical simulations. Evaluation of the effect of PPAs in the watersheds was carried out using the hydrological model SWAT (Soil and Water Assessement Tool) calibrated (for streamflow and evapotranspiration of the main ecosystems of the basin) and validated (for streamflow). Scenarios were composed of varying extension of riparian reforestation and afforestation of steep areas in small scale (Ribeirão das Posses) and in mesoscale (Piracicaba). The (riparian and steep area) reforestation scenarios reduced surface runoff in both watersheds and increased baseflow in Posses but reduced it in Piracicaba. The results of the annual average scenarios with greater riparian reforestation indicated a runoff decrease of 24% in Ribeirão das Posses and of 4% in Piracicaba. As for the baseflow, it increased by 2% and decreased by 2%, respectively in the two watersheds. The reduction of runoff reduced the maximum streamflows in the mouth in 13% and in 28% at the head of the Ribeirão das Posses. While in Piracicaba, these were reduced to approximately 4% in the entire watershed. Low flows in Posses increased the head and mouth in, respectively, 19% and 9%, while in Piracicaba drought streamflow had a modest reduction of up to 2%. The results suggest that the PPAs, in the forms of riparian and steep reforestation on a small scale, show a reduction of runoff and mean annual flow, but in terms of environmental services reflects favorably on the reduction of flood events due the reduction of extreme hydrological pulses, and the increase of low flow due to increased base flow. The mesoscale showed analogously a favorable quality in providing environmental services in peak flows, but unfavorable as to dry season flow, which however should be analyzed in conjunction with adjusting the parameters of the model of low and deep aquifer recharge at this scale. The study suggest the PPAs as promoters of environmental hydrological services dominantly favorable, emphasizing the benefits of reforestation in smaller scale watersheds, influencing processes nearby the drainage area, where rural populations could be benefited from services more directly and frequently. (AU) | |